This study investigates the learning outcomes of graduate-level related courses in the philosophy of music education from the perspectives of students. The inquiry is grounded in the recognized importance of philosophy in music education—particularly its role in teacher preparation and curriculum development, alongside the scarcity of empirical research on this topic in Taiwan.This study centered on student perspectives. A self-developed and expert-validated online questionnaire was completed by more than 50 graduate students who had taken philosophy of music education related courses within the past five years. The survey was designed to examine five key areas of learning outcomes: (1) knowledge acquisition, referring to the specific knowledge content that participants reported having learned in these courses; (2) value identification, addressing participants’ perceptions of the value and significance of such courses; (3) behavioral development, concerning changes in professional attitudes and practices influenced by course experiences; (4) teaching methods, identifying which instructional strategies—such as lectures, presentations, or discussions—were perceived as most effective; and (5) course effectiveness and influencing factors, reflecting participants’ overall evaluations of the course’s effectiveness and the factors that contributed to variations in perceived impact. To complement the survey data, six in-service music teachers who had completed the on-line questionnaire participated in follow-up one-on-one interviews.Findings indicate that regarding the curriculum outcomes in terms of “knowledge acquisition,” graduate students who had taken philosophy of music education related courses most recalled esthetic viewpoints in music education such as referentialism, formalism, and absolute expressionism, as well as prominent scholars in the philosophy of music education, including Bennett Reimer and David Elliott. The courses were found to enhance participants’ ability to articulate the rationale and value of music education when it comes to “value identification,” while also fostering deeper reflection on the broader role and positioning of the field of music education regarding “behavior development.” Instructor lectures, individual presentations, and case-based discussions emerged as the most effective teaching methods, though course design and delivery styles contributed to differences in perceived impact. To sum up, participants valued these courses’ emphasis on critical thinking, reflection, discussion, and debate. They were also impressed by that professors worked to connect philosophical theories with everyday music teaching practices, and to foster their awareness and encourage their concern into local music education issues.The study concludes with implications for strengthening curriculum design, refining instructional strategies, and guiding future research on the philosophy of music education.